Sydney has the Opera House, Paris the Eiffel Tower, and London has Big Ben. Does Brisbane need an icon to compete globally?

As the council pushes forward to place Brisbane firmly on the map as major events city the question begs: has we got enough to make the place memorable?

World renowned architect John Mainwaring, of JMA Architects at Newstead said he believed there was no "real icon'' that identified Brisbane from other states such as Sydney and Melbourne.

And he would know. Mr Mainwaring directed the 1998 Queen Street Mall design refurbishment project which won a RAIA State Merit award for civic design. He is also known for his works with Hastings St in central Noosa.

Mr Mainwaring told City News: "Sydney has the Opera House and the bridge and we have the Brisbane River''.

"Places like Singapore have iconic structures and Saigon has just built an iconic tower.

"Does a subtroprical place like Brisbane need an icon?''

Mr Mainwaring said locals needed to "come to terms'' with the infatuation of the Brisvegas stigma.

"It's led us to where people are putting coloured lights on rock walls such as Kangaroo Point which are just blue and red and now it's happened at City Hall,'' he said.

"Proper lighting needs to be used to showcase our topographical features such the cliffs at Kangaroo Point.''

He said real icons evolved over hundreds of years.

"Brisbane has already made huge yards over the last decade and installed one of the best galleries at South Brisbane.

"We turned out backs on the Brisbane River and now it's become big there with plenty of activities - it's like an Asian river.

"Melbourne is one of the great southern hemisphere cities and far nicer than Sydney in many ways, but Melbourne is a far more recognised urban designed city,'' he said.

Mr Mainwaring said Brisbane once had the chance to build an icon called Vision Tower, in the heart of Brisbane City, however the development received the bullet during the Global Financial Crisis.

The design was 72 storeys high, and would have become Brisbane's tallest, Queensland's second tallest, and Australia's third tallest building if completed.

"I feel that would have given Brisbane an iconic status, that was a real shame,'' he said.

"But the moment we start saying we have to have an icon, then we have problems.

He said the Storey Bridge "to a certain extent'' was a mini icon for Brisbane, but nothing compared to the great bridges of the world.

Brisbane City Councillor Vicki Howard (Central Ward) said Brisbane did not really have anything to relate itself to.

"What about City Hall? I like that but I'm not sure people relate to it,'' Cr Howard said.

"I don't think we need an icon because we have an iconic lifestyle.''

Cr Howard said urban villages as well as New Farm Park, Anzac Park, James St and the China Town Mall were 'mini icons'.

"We are developing areas that complement our lifestyle,'' she said.

But Brisbane Central state MP Robert Cavallucci said: "Brisbane has plenty of icons''.

"South Bank and the big cultural precinct attached to it is iconic. The new William St precinct will be big and most definately iconic in a few years to come,'' he said.

"Generally I don't think we need another icon, it takes time to develop.''

Meanwhile, the State Government's plan to renew the Government Administrative Precinct has sparked a strong response with 13 expressions of interest received to re-develop 1 William Street, Brisbane.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development and Planning Jeff Seeney said to start the redevelopment, the Government called for registrations of interest for the construction of a new office tower of between 60,000 to 75,000 square metres at 1 William Street.

"This vacant site, currently being used as a carpark, has been designated for government office development since 1974 and is the logical site for government administration given its proximity to Parliament," he said.

What do you think? Does Brisbane need and icon? If so, what? Leave your comments below.

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